Worcester friends take on Atlantic row in memory of neighbour

Two friends are taking on an Atlantic crossing challenge to help raise money for a hospice that cared for a boy with cerebral palsy.

George Farmiloe 26, and Matt Bladen, 27, from Worcester, are setting off on 12 December for the attempt.

They will row in shifts during the 3,000-mile (4,800 km) crossing from the Canary Islands to Antigua.

The money raised will be in memory of Jack Dyer, who had been helped by Acorns Hospice before his death.

The 16-year-old, a neighbour of Mr Bladen, passed away in November 2020 and was "loved by everyone who met him," said the hospice.

The pair, who met at the King's School in the city, said they had been making "final physical and mental preparations" for the challenge, aiming to raise £100,000.

"We met in school rowing, but we've never climbed a mountain or done anything big like this," said Mr Bladen.

They had decided to take on the row after being "shut in, unable to do much" during the coronavirus lockdowns.

"As part of that conversation we decided we wanted to do something for a great cause," he added.

They had approached Jack's parents, who described how much they had been helped by the hospice, he explained.

"Acorns had really changed their lives and that of Jack," he added.

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